A Benefit Sale Chris Robles - Rare Wine Co.

A Benefit Sale for Chris Robles 

one of the wine trade’s truly great guys 

21481 Eighth Street East 

Sonoma, CA 95476 

(800) 999-4342 

sales@rarewineco.com 

facebook.com/RareWineCo 

@RareWineCo

CHRIS ROBLES BENEFIT SALE | THE RARE WINE CO. 

i 

Our Dear Friend, 

Chris Robles 

Chris Robles has one of those magnetic personalities that makes everyone 

want to be around him. His charm, and his deep knowledge and 

passion for wine, have made him one of the most widely liked guys in 

the American wine trade. Some would even go so far as to say widely loved. 

Chris taught and inspired a generation of aspiring sommeliers and wine 

merchants from his posts at Emeril’s and Commander’s Palace in New Orleans 

and The Wine Cask in Santa Barbara. And, finally, it was my privilege 

to work alongside Chris at The Rare Wine Co., when he held the position of 

West Coast Wholesale Director from 2006 to 2011. 

During his last two years at RWC, however, Chris battled advanced Pancreatic 

cancer, and finally had to leave in July 2011 to give full attention to 

his fight. Today, an experimental radiation trial offers hope but, as is often the 

case, the treatments are only partially covered by insurance. 

Last year, we contacted a number of his Chris’ friends in the wine business—on 

both sides of the Atlantic—asking for their help to raise money 

for him. Thanks to their generosity, we accumulated a treasure chest of rare 

bottles, winery visits and dinners. We used some of the wine for a highly 

successful fundraising dinner on October 8th at San Francisco’s RN74, cosponsored 

by Chris’ old friend Rajat Parr. But we saved many of the greatest 

bottles and other donations for this catalogue. 

From this point on, there are two ways to buy some great wines while 

helping Chris. The first is to purchase any of the fixed-price lots in this catalogue. 

But you will also see that several compelling lots are being auctioned 

by Spectrum Wine Auctions on May 11th (click here to view the relevant 

lots). (Please note that pre-bidding is available until 11:00 AM PST on May 

11th., and Live Floor and Internet Bidding Begins thereafter. The Robles lots 

are in included among the first 50 lots of the auction.) You will find complete 

instructions inside on how to participate in that auction. 

Mannie Berk 

The Rare Wine Co.

CHRIS ROBLES BENEFIT SALE | THE RARE WINE CO. 

Index 

ii 

In This Catalogue 

Auction Lots (Pages 1-6) 

Spectrum Wine Auctions 

Beverly Hills, CA, Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 11:00 AM PST 

(Pre-bidding is available until 11:00 AM PST on May 11, 2013.) 

Several exciting donations to our campaign will be sold at Spectrum’s 

Spring 2013 Auction on May 11th. Spectrum has generously joined 

with us in this effort, agreeing to pass all of the proceeds of these lots— 

including the 21% buyer’s premium—on to Chris. 

Descendientes 

Page 1 

Peter Sisseck 

Page 2 

Alvaro Palacios 

Page 3 

Roberto Conterno 

Page 4 

Burlotto 

Page 5 

Anselme Selosse 

Page 6 

RWC Benefit Sale (Pages 7-16) 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

When we put out the word that we were raising money to help Chris, 

we heard not only from some of Chris’ friends in the U.S. wine trade 

,but a number of fine growers Chris represented while he was with The 

Rare Wine Co. Each donated prized bottles, in a variety of formats, for 

this catalogue. 

The wines on pages 7-16 are being offered at a fixed price and can be 

ordered by emailing sales@rarewineco.com or calling 800-999-4342. 

The number of bottles of each wine is noted and is offered on a firstcome, 

first-served basis. 

A) Domaine Huet ............................................................................ 7 

B) Jean-Philippe Fichet .................................................................... 8 

C) Giuseppe Mascarello ................................................................... 9 

D) René Rostaing ........................................................................... 10 

E) Montepeloso ............................................................................. 11 

F) D’Oliveira ................................................................................. 12 

G) Barbeito .................................................................................... 13 

H) Emeril’s Restaurants & Bodegas Weinert ................................... 14 

I) Donald Link & La Mission-Haut-Brion ...................................... 15 

J) Jean-Michel Ganoux & Lewis Cellars .......................................... 16 

F 

G 

HC 

I 

J

Descendientes 1 

CHRIS ROBLES BENEFIT AUCTIoN 

Lot #39 

donated by 

Descendientes 

de Jose Palacios 

In 1990, Alvaro Palacios settled on Priorat as the place where he would achieve 

his dream of making Spain’s greatest red wine. And by the end of that decade, 

he had achieved worldwide fame with “L’Ermita” and “Finca Dofi.” 

But in his decision-making, there had been a close contender to Priorat: 

Bierzo. This forgotten place had all ingredients that Alvaro wanted—steep 

mountainsides, distinctive terroirs and, most importantly, ancient vineyards of 

Mencía—a red grape that had come to Spain from France centuries earlier. 

In the late 1990s, Alvaro turned his attention to Bierzo. With his nephew 

Ricardo Perez, Alvaro quietly purchased Bierzo’s finest old mountainside vineyards: 

Las Lamas, Moncerbal and, the most important of them all, La Faraona, 

which is Spanish for “The Pharaoh.” 

Alvaro and Ricardo set off a land rush in Bierzo, as dozens of winemakers soon 

poured into the region. But Alvaro and Ricardo had already secured Bierzo’s grand crus. 

Las Lamas, Moncerbal and La Faraona long ago fulfilled their potential as 

Bierzo’s greatest wine. However, with production that ranges from 50 cases (for 

La Faraona) to less than 200 cases (for Las Lamas and Moncerbal), few wine lovers 

will ever have the chance to experience their greatness. 

Alvaro and Ricardo’s large formats are seldom offered to the public, which 

makes this lot so incredibly unique and desirable. 

A Treasure of Descendientes Large Formats 

2008 Descendientes ‘Faraona’ magnum 

2008 Descendientes ‘Las Lamas’ 3L jeroboam 

2008 Descendientes ‘Moncerbal ’ 5L 

$ 

3000.00 (estimate) 

>bid now on spectrumwine.com

Peter Sisseck 2 


Lot #40 

donated by 

Peter 

Sisseck 

For the first few years after Peter Sisseck arrived in Spain in 1990, no one could 

have envisioned the profound influence he would one day have—not only on 

the future of Ribera del Duero, but on the future of Spanish wine. More than 

anyone else, this Danish-born winemaker inspired Ribera del Duero’s transformation 

from a depressed wine region into an area brimming with potential. 

The catalyst for this transformation was a wine that Peter first made in 1995 

and that has come to be among the world’s most coveted wines: Pingus. Never 

made in a quantity of more than three or four hundred cases, even regular-sized 

bottles can sell for $1000+ within their first year of release. 

We believe that the 2010 Pingus is one of the three or four greatest wines 

Peter has made to date. In the comprehensive Pingus vertical held last year in Los 

Angeles, it promised such epic quality. With time, we believe, it will prove that it 

rivals in greatness the mythic 1995 Pingus. 

Peter has generously donated a signed 3-liter bottle of 2010 Pingus in its original 

wood case. In addition, he will host the winning bidder and a party of up to four 

at his winery in Quintanilla de Onésimo in Ribera del Duero, for a tour, tasting 

and dinner. The date for the visit will be mutually agreed up during 2013 or 2014. 

2010 Pingus 3-Liter signed 

+ Winery Tour and Dinner with Peter 

$ 


>bid now on spectrumwine.com 

Please note: tour and dinner will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of winning 

bidder and Peter sometime in 2013/14.

Alvaro Palacios 3 


Lot #41 

donated by 

Alvaro 

Palacios 

In the view of many, Alvaro Palacios is the greatest Spanish winemaker of his 

generation. He led the renaissance of two important wine regions, Priorat and 

Bierzo, where he remains their most revered producer. 

His supremely elegant L’Ermita, from Priorat, is widely considered—along 

with Peter Sisseck’s Pingus—to be the most important new Spanish wine of the 

modern era. It stems from a dramatically steep hillside of nearly pure schist planted 

to Garnacha (aka Grenache) more than 60 years ago. At the top is a small 

hermitage—hence the site’s name, L’Ermita. There is no more iconic vineyard in 

the Northeast of Spain. 

In much of France, a great vintage is one where the grapes achieve ripeness. In 

Priorat, the opposite is true. Ripeness is automatic; great vintages need the ripeness 

tamed. The 2002s in Priorat may have been over-shadowed at release by the 

surrounding blockbuster vintages but, like 1991 in Côte Rôtie, 2002 has proven 

over time to have produced some of the most satisfying wines from this young 

appellation. 

L’Ermita’s fame was built on its north-facing, heat-taming site, and the 2002 

really captures the perfume and finesse that separate it from any other wine in the 

region. 

Alvaro has generously donated, and signed, a very rare 5-liter bottle of his 

2002 L’Ermita, in its original wood case. 

2002 L’Ermita 5L signed 

$ 



Conterno 4 


Lot #42 

donated by 

Roberto 

Conterno 

The ultimate and purest expression of Barolo can be found in bottles bearing the 

Giacomo Conterno name. In fact, they represent the ideal of traditional Barolo: 

rich, powerful, massively structured, and capable of long aging in bottle. 

These majestic wines descend from a legacy that spans three generations of Conternos: 

Giacomo, Giovanni, and now Roberto. In each generation, the torch has passed 

from father to son. Today, Roberto is not only keeping alive the family legacy; many 

believe that he is making the greatest Barolos ever to appear under the Conterno name. 

But despite his astonishing gifts as a winemaker, Robert always defers to the beauty 

of the wines made by his father and grandfather. And so to honor Chris, he has donated 

a signed magnum of one of the very first Barolo Monfortinos his father made after taking 

over from his grandfather. Now in its 43rd year, the 1970 Monfortino, particularly 

in magnum from the Conterno family cellar, has decades of life ahead of it. 

1970 Monfortino signed magnum 

$ 



Burlotto 5 


Lot #43 

donated by 

G.B. Burlotto 

For every ten famous Barolos, there are a handful of Barolos deserving of far greater attention. 

Leading that list, in our view, is G.B. Burlotto’s Barolo Monvigliero. Few wine 

lovers would recognize its name, yet it is, very simply, one of the greatest Barolos made. 

It is also among the most distinctive. Vintage after vintage, its astonishingly intense, 

and instantly recognizable, perfume of Provençal black olive tapenade, cedar and truffle is 

nothing short of hypnotic. And it could come from no other place on earth. 

Burlotto’s Monvigliero has been made as a single-vineyard wine since 1982, but for a 

century before it was a key component in Burlotto’s fabled blended Barolo—the earliest 

archetype for the 20th century’s classic Barolo style. Thus, Monvigliero’s nuances have 

been known to several generations of Nebbiolo lovers. 

Monvigliero is not only the essence of its limestone-rich, high-altitude vineyard; it is also 

the essence of its old-fashioned crushing the grapes by foot, 60-day maceration and long aging 

in massive wood botti. The result is a Barolo of powerful structure, but with an ethereally 

delicate mouthfeel, providing great drinking pleasure when young but capable of long aging. 

The Burlotto family produces no magnums of Monvigliero, but they do make a few 3-liter 

jeroboams each year. In fact, each time a baby is born into the family, the baby is baptized 

in the wine from one of these precious jeroboams. 

Chris Robles was instrumental in bringing Burlotto into The Rare Wine Co. portfolio, 

and to this day, their Barolo Monvigliero remains one of his favorite wines. That’s high 

praise indeed. 

Six Jeroboams of 

Barolo “Monvigliero” 

1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2008 

$ 



Jacques Selosse Selosse 36 


Lot #44 

donated by 

Selosse 

By applying the teachings of men like Jean-François Coche and Henri 

Jayer, Anselme Selosse has altered Champagne’s image forever. He made 

Champagne worthy of our intellectual interest. He gave relevance to the 

ideas of vintage and terroir by creating Champagnes that challenged our 

preconceptions. And thanks to him, dozens of Champagne producers, large 

and small, are today making wines that would have been unthinkable two 

decades ago. 

He is not only Champagne’s greatest grower; he is one of the most influential 

winemakers of the past century. And the greatness of his wines is 

testament not only to his skill but his intellectual depth. 

There is no winemaker more charismatic or riveting to taste with. Yet, 

private visits to his cellar are rare. As Anselme’s U.S. importer for the past 

few years, we must get a request a week for a visit; yet it’s rare that we can 

make it happen. Making wine at his level requires his constant personal attention 

in both the vineyard and the cellar, and he can seldom find the time 

to attend to visitors. 

All of which makes this lot very special. Not only does it include a visit 

and tasting with Anselme in his cellar; it also affords double accommodations 

and dinner in the beautiful new hotel that he and his wife Corinne 

have created adjacent to the cellars. And you will have the privilege to drink 

Cuvée Lubie, the mythic Coteaux Champenois rouge d’Ambonnay that, 

owing to its extreme rarity, never leaves chez Selosse. 

Hotel, Meal, Tasting & Cuvée Lubie 

$ 


>bid now on spectrumwine.com 

Please note: tour and dinner will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of 

winning bidder and the Selosses during 2013 or 2014.

Domaine Huet 7 

CHRIS ROBLES BENEFIT SALE 

Ordering is easy, from The Rare Wine Co.: 

sales@rarewineco.com | (800) 999-4342 

donated by 

Domaine 

Huet 

Since its founding in 1928, Vouvray’s Domaine Huët has been the standard-bearer 

for great, ageworthy Chenin Blanc. And to this day the estate produces some of the 

world’s most compelling white wines—and in a remarkable range that spans sparkling, 

dry, semi-dry, and breathtaking dessert styles. 

The domaine’s founder, Victor Huët, was a Parisian bistro owner. However, with 

lungs and nerves shattered by his experiences in WWI, Victor re-settled to the town 

of Vouvray in France’s beautiful Loire Valley. He soon purchased the first of his great 

vineyards, Le Haut-Lieu, in 1928, and Domaine Huët was born. 

Victor’s son Gaston (1910-2002) worked with his father from the beginning, and 

assumed full charge by 1937. With an obsessive devotion to quality, and an engaging 

showman’s personality, Gaston built the Huët legacy over the next 55 years, despite 

spending five years in a German POW camp during WWII. 

One of Gaston’s greatest vintages for dessert wines was 1990, and a monument to 

the year’s extraordinary quality is his Le Mont Moelleux 1ere Trie, made from ruthlessly 

selected botrytised grapes. Here’s your chance to experience, directly from Huet’s cellar, 

pristine bottles of this very rare and great wine. 

1990 Huet Le Mont Moelleux 1ère Trie 

$ 

250.00 bottle (6 bottles available)

J-P Fichet 8 




donated by 

Jean-Philippe 

Fichet 

noble terroir has at last reclaimed its birthright. Once esteemed above all other villages 

for its white wines, Meursault fell from grace in the late 19th century, despite 

A 

having a greater diversity of superb Chardonnay soils than any other place in Burgundy, 

and possibly any other spot on earth. 

Today, Meursault is back on top, and a new generation of winemakers is testing 

the limits of transparency in making some of Burgundy’s most exciting white wines. 

No one in Meursault is testing these limits more than Jean-Philippe Fichet, who, 

for the past two decades, has searched restlessly for the soul of Meursault’s lieux dits 

(unclassified vineyards). We have come to prize his Chevalières and Gruyaches bottlings—each 

of which is a stunning expression of its soil. But arguably his greatest wine 

is from Tesson, a site that that has few rivals for its stoniness and minerality. 

Jean-Philippe makes just a few magnums of Tesson each vintage, and he was quite 

generous to donate a few of them from the great 2009 vintage. This is white Burgundy 

at its most riveting in a very rare format. 

2009 Meursault “Tesson” magnum 

$ 

250.00 magnum (6 available)

G. Mascarello 9 




donated by 

Giuseppe 

Mascarello 

With the world increasingly enchanted by the magic of classic Barolo, this estate’s 

legendary Barolo Monprivato has emerged as one of the region’s crown 

jewels. And its maker, the equally legendary Mauro Mascarello, is increasingly regarded 

as an Italian national treasure. 

Such acclaim is long overdue for a winemaker whose track record dates back more 

than four decades. But it was also inevitable: now that Giovanni Conterno and Bartolo 

Mascarello are gone, he is the last of his generation of great classically inspired winemakers 

in Barolo. 

Like Giovanni and Bartolo, Mauro is a traditionalist dedicated to long fermentations 

and aging in old botti. But he has also made important changes, not the least of 

which was the creation of a single Barolo from the great Monprivato vineyard in 1970. 

Prior to that year, his family had always made their towering Barolos and Barolo Riservas 

by blending Monprivato fruit with grapes from other sites. 

In 1983, having made several great Barolos from Monprivato, Mauro began replanting 

a two-acre section of the vineyard, using a Nebbiolo clone originally planted 

in Monprivato in 1921 by his grandfather Morissio. Mauro theorized that this clone— 

of the Michét subvariety—had become uniquely adapted to the Monprivato terroir. 

Mauro’s goal was to produce a super-riserva Barolo called Cà d’Morissio. 

Mauro’s first two Cà d’Morissios—the 1993 and 1995—showed great promise, 

but it was the profound 1996 and 1997 that really put this cuvée on the map. Today, 

Cà d’Morissio stands next to Barolo Monfortino and Giacosa’s red label riservas as one 

of the greatest, and most coveted, wines of the Langhe. 

2003 & 2004 Giuseppe Mascarello 

Barolo ‘Cà d’Morissio’ 

1 bottle of each vintage $ 750.00 limited

Rostaing 10 




donated by 

René 

Rostaing 

Not counting the much larger Guigal domaine, René Rostaing is the 

closest thing to a cult star that Côte-Rôtie has yet produced in the past 

quarter century. A grower since 1971, his first vineyard purchases were a microscopic 

half acre each in Côte Blonde and in La Landonne on the Côte Brune. 

The real breakthrough came when his father-in-law, Albert Dervieux- 

Thaize retired in 1990, followed by his uncle Marius Gentaz-Dervieux 

three years later. Between these two legendary growers, Rostaing acquired 

over ten acres of very old vines in some of the appellation’s top sites. The 

vineyard expansion also enabled René to quit his day job in 1991, and to 

devote himself full time to winemaking. 

For those of us who prize Côte Rôtie that expresses not only the soil but the 

area’s winemaking history, Rostaing is one of the greats. Texture, elegance and 

balance are the hallmarks of his style; in fact, they are often described as the most 

“Burgundian” of Côte Rôties. 

We are pleased to offer two superb bottles from his cellar, each signed by 

René Rostaing. 

2001 & 2003 Rostaing 

Côte-Rôtie “La Landonne” 

1 bottle each $ 295.00 

(there are six 2-packs available)

Montepeloso 11 




donated by 

Montepeloso 

In the mid-1990s, the Tuscan coastal town of Suvereto began to get noticed for its red 

wines. Some even talked about a future challenge to the preeminence of Bolgheri, its 

neighbor to the north. But such speculation was premature, since it was based on the 

quality of wines coming out of just two Suvereto estates: Tua Rita and Montepeloso. 

These properties enjoyed two of the best terroirs in Italy: Montepeloso on a gentle 

hillside of chalky gravel and clay, and Tua Rita in heavier clay below. In the early years, 

thanks to the rich style of its wines, Tua Rita got the most attention of the two. 

But in 1998, Montepeloso was sold to Fabio Chiarelotto, a Swiss-Italian historian, 

who was convinced that his St. Emilion-like gravel promised far greater quality than 

had been achieved. So, he began to dramatically overhaul the vineyards—retraining 

or regrafting thousands of vines. And in the cellar, Chiarelotto sought ways to soften 

the tannins, refine the aromatics, and better integrate the oak. With each succeeding 

vintage, he got closer to his ideal. 

Today, Montepeloso is considered one of the great wine estates of the Tuscan coast, 

and he is sometimes compared to Gianfranco Soldera, on account of his uncompromising 

standards. 

We have never seen jeroboams of Nardo and Gabbro before. And there could be no 

better vintage in which to own them: 2010 promises true greatness, with its incredible 

concentration and the structure for very long aging. These are wines for the ages. 

2009 Montepeloso ‘Eneo’ 6-pack $ 275 

95 rating from Antonio Galloni. Two 6-packs available. 

2010 Montepeloso ‘Nardo’ 3L Jeroboam $ 795 

The Tuscan coast’s greatest and rarest Sangiovese: only 400 cases made. 

Two jeros available. 

2010 Montepeloso ‘Gabbro’ 3L Jeroboam $ 895 

The great Cabernet of Suvereto. Just 200 cases made. 

Two jeros available.

D’Oliveira 12 




donated by 

D’Oliveira 

D 

’Oliveira is one of the greatest of the classic Madeira producers, and one of the 

few to survive from the pre-phylloxera era. Founded in 1820, and today housed 

in cellars that date from 1619, this small jewel of a company is still owned by the same 

family. 

But what is also extraordinary is that D’Oliveira has held on to many of its most 

famous vintages, creating a unique, and irreplaceable, stock of old wines. And remarkably, 

the old wines were almost all made by the family—not purchased from other 

shippers or growers. 

So, whether an 1862 Sercial or a 1922 Bual, all were produced by the D’Oliveiras 

and their ancestors, and generally from their own vineyards in São Martinho, one of 

the great viticultural sites in Madeira, lying just to the west of Funchal along the island’s 

south coast. 

Until the 1960s, D’Oliveira’s main business was to sell its wines to other producers, 

who bottled them under their names. As late as the mid-1980s, when the Madeira 

Wine Company needed to supplement its stock of great old vintages, it was to 

D’Oliveira that it turned. 

This bottle of 1875 Moscatel—a rare example of the richest style of Madeira—was 

bottled by D’Oliveira in the 1960s or early 1970s and has been held in the D’Oliveira 

family’s private reserve since that time. We are grateful to the family for the donation of 

this very rare and extraordinary bottle. 

1875 D’Oliveira Moscatel ‘Family Reserve’ 

$ 

695 bottle 

(1 bottle available)

Barbeito 13 




donated by 

Barbeito 

The family-owned Madeira firm of Barbeito was founded just 67 years ago—a brief 

period of time for so ancient a wine. The company came to being thanks to the 

vision of Mario Barbeito, who had previously been an accountant at H.M. Borges. 

Where others saw a bleak future for Madeira after World War II and The Great 

Depression, Mario Barbeito saw a bright future. He was particularly excited by the fact 

that you could still buy ancient wines for song. And so, he went around the island, 

buying substantial stocks of priceless old vintages from important families. As his business 

grew, he left the oldest wines to age in either cask or demijohn while selling more 

modest, younger Madeiras to generate cash. 

When his daughter Manuela took over the business in the 1970s, she continued 

to buy old wines when she could find them. But she also began to sell her father’s old 

wines—first at auction and then later through customers like The Rare Wine Co.— 

building a reputation as a fabulous source for great vintages. Thanks to her efforts, 

Barbeito wines like 1795 Terrantez, 1834 and 1875 Malvasia, and 1863 Bual became 

world famous. 

One of the wines that Manuela bought was a single demijohn of superb 1918 Malvasia. 

She never broached this demijohn and so it remained in the family’s possession 

until last year. When I asked her son Ricardo Freitas if he and his mother would like to 

donate something special to raise money for Chris Robles, he immediately thought of 

that demijohn. This, then, is a single bottle, drawn from demijohn and bottled under 

the Barbeito wax seal in 2012. 

1918 Barbeito Malvasia 

$ 

650.00 

(1 bottle available)

Emeril’s | Weinert 14 




Food & Wine for Four at any 

of Emeril’s Restaurants 

Donated by: Emeril’s Restaurant Group 

Chef Emeril Lagasse’s empire spans 13 restaurants across the country, but he 

got his first big break in New Orleans at the famed Commander’s Palace. He 

opened his eponymous Emeril’s in 1990 followed by NOLA in 1992 – both to 

enormous national acclaim – and his star was born. Chris Robles joined Emeril 

at NOLA and then was selected to open Emeril’s Delmonico when it opened in 

1999. For this auction, Chef Emeril is offering dinner for 4 at any of his fine dining 

restaurants nationwide with wines selected from the restaurants’ famed cellars. 

$ 

1500.00 

Bodegas Weinert 

Donated by: Max Bozoghlian 

As Argentina’s wine industry explodes, it’s fair to ask if there are any old wines 

that point the way to the future. And is there a seminal, iconic producer whose 

wines have stood the test of time? 

The answers to both questions are yes, and the name of the great Argentinian 

winery is Bodegas Weinert. And who in the United States would know Weinert 

better than Max Bozoghlian? After all, Max emigrated from Argentina in 1996 to 

found Carlitos Gardel, the beloved Argentinian steakhouse that has one of the best 

restaurant wine cellars in Los Angeles. 

Max reached deep into his cellar to support Chris, donating an impressive lineup 

of Bodegas Weinert. This parcel includes the legendary 1977 Malbec, produced 

from the bodega’s first vintage, aged in massive 6,000-liter barrels. In his original 

1992 note, Robert Parker called the 1977 Malbec, “A hypothetical blend of a superconcentrated 

vintage of La Mission Haut Brion and Cheval Blanc.” 

Bodegas Weinert 

1977 Malbec, 1994 Malbec 

1994 Cabernet, 1999 Merlot 

$ 

650.00 (One 4-pack available)

Emeril’s | LMHB 15 

CHRIS ROBLES BENEFIT SALE . 



Food & Wine for Four at one of 

Donald Link’s Restaurants 

Donated by: Link Restaurant Group 

Donald Link is the acclaimed Louisiana chef behind Herbsaint and Cochon (New 

Orleans), and Cochon (Lafayette). He has been named ‘Best Chef South’ by the 

James Beard Foundation, and his cookbook, Real Cajun, was also honored for ‘Best 

American Cookbook.’ 

Chris Robles was instrumental in building the opening wine program at Herbsaint, 

and the group is offering here a memorable dinner for four at any of their outlets, 

with wine pairings selected from their extensive cellars. 

Food & Wine for Four 

at any of Donald Link’s Restaurants 

$ 

1500.00 

1988 La Mission-Haut-Brion 

Donated by: Chris Miller, Spago 

irm, masculine and tannic with plenty of earth, truffle, asphalt and volcanic 

“Fcharacteristics, this burly La Mission-Haut-Brion … reveals good body as well 

as plenty of tannin, adequate acidity, a dark plum/garnet color, and classic La Mission 

terroir characteristics of smoke, scorched earth, spice, roasted meats and camphor. 

Neither big nor wimpish, it, like many wines of this vintage, appears to be aging nicely. 

While fully mature, it displays enough youthful characteristics, from its tannin to its 

vibrant, moderately intense fruit, to suggest it will hold up for another two decades.” 

Robert Parker 2012 

1988 La Mission-Haut-Brion 

$ 

250.00 (1 bottle available)

J-M Ganoux | Lewis 16 




2005 Jean-Michel Gaunoux 

Meursault-Perrières 

Donated by: Josh Raynolds 

When it comes to taking the advice of a wine critic, where’s the best place to start? 

Easy: what he chooses to drink when he’s off the clock. So, this six-pack of 2005 

Jean-Michel Gaunoux Meursault-Perrières donated by Josh Raynolds is a no-brainer. 

Gaunoux worked with his father Francois Gaunoux until 1990 when he established his 

own domaine: six hectares in Meursault, Pommard, and Volnay. He practices lutte raisonné 

or “the reasoned struggle”, in the vineyard, working to preserve the soil by using no 

pesticides. A brilliant classicist, Gaunoux’s vinification is traditional. 

2005 Jean-Michel Gaunoux Meursault Perrières 

$ 

525.00 6-pack (1 available) 

2007 Lewis Cellars 

Cuvée 7 “Lance Armstrong” 

Donated by: Lewis Cellars 

In 2005, Lance Armstrong teamed up with former race car driver Randy Lewis (of 

Lewis Cellars in Napa Valley) to create a new Napa Cabernet called “Cuvée 7.” The cuvée 

was launched to support the Lance Armstrong Foundation. But the two have donated 

one of their prized 3-packs to help Chris. 

Only four barrels of the 2007 were made, producing less than 90 cases. The wine was 

aged in 100% new French oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The wine comes 

in a 3-bottle black piano-finish box. 

Before leaving racing to start Lewis Cellars, Randy Lewis competed in five Indy 500’s. 

Lewis Cellars figures on James Laube’s list of the top 10 Napa Cabernets made since 

1990. Randy and Lance met at the 2001 Tour de France. 

2007 Lewis Cellars 

Cabernet 7 “Lance Armstrong” 

(signed by Lance Armstrong and Randy Lewis) 

$ 

695.00 3-pack (1 available)

The Rare Wine Co. 

21481 Eighth Street East Sonoma, CA 95476 

(800) 999-4342 (707) 996-4484 

sales@rarewineco.com

A Benefit Sale Chris Robles - Rare Wine Co.

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